Archive for 2007

The only objects needed are a ball (soccer balls and volley balls work well), and 5 objects to use as ‘bases’.

The object of the game is almost like playing baseball. Usually however, you only need 4 people per team, but you can have more.

Simply lay out the five bases. One for first base, second base, third base, homeplate, and the pitchers mound (just like in baseball).

After determining teams, the pitcher rolls the ball towards home plate. The opposing team determines the ‘kicking’ order. The kicker then tries to kick the ball out in the field. Play continues until the kicking team recieves 3 outs. The outs are determined in three ways:

when a kicker kicks the ball, the opposing team tries to catch it in the air. once caught, that player is out, and the next player is up to kick.

when a kicker successfully kicks a ball and it is not caught in the air, the kicker upon trying to round bases can be tagged out by being hit with the ball. if the kicker is hit with the ball anytime other than when he/she is on a ‘base’, they will be considered out.

when a player kicks 3 ‘foul balls’ it is an automatic out. sidelines are predetermined, and are usually just the same in baseball.

When a team has finally kicked 3 outs, then the opposing team gets their shot at kicking the ball. Every time a runner scores by getting to homeplate, the team gets one point. The points are tallied, and the team with the most points at the end of nine innings is the winner. (innings are also just like baseball. when the first team kicks and gets three out, the other team is then up. when they get three outs, that is considered the first inning.)

You may also add a ‘homerun’ boundary. This is a line or place deep in the outfield where if a ball goes past this point in the air, it is considered a ‘homerun’, and the kicker and any players alreay on bases, automatically round the bases and cannot be called out. The ball has to reach this point in the air. A ball that rolls past this point is not considered a homerun, and the kicker can still be tagged out.

Team 1 would contain the front yard and Team 2 would contain the back yard, or a larger playing field would be split between the two teams. The teams were given a time period, 5 minutes for example, to hide their flag in their part of the yard.

When the flag was hidden you would announce that you were finished. Then you simply try to get the other teams flag. If you get caught and tagged by the opponent on their territory you had to go to jail and could only be freed by a teammate who tags you when your opponent wasn’t looking.

The first team to capture the opponents’ flag wins. In some versions you would have to both get the flag, and bring it back to your side, without being captured.